Challenge by Susan L.

  I am struggling with an issue that has dragged on far too long. It has my stomach in knots and my soul is grieved by it all.
  I pray for guidance and the strength to speak to an individual who has shared misinformation about a situation that took place at the centre. This person also knows me from church and small group. This person sadly has a taste for gossip and has breached our confidentiality policy before.
  Last Wednesday at small group there were three people who blatantly gave me the cold shoulder. Although, at the time, I didn't think anything of it. Everybody has bad days. They are good friends of this person. One of those three spoke to me on Sunday about how she had listened to things that made her not like someone who she really liked. She was being hard on herself for even listening. Bless her for not naming names. That's when I made the connection. I did try and comfort her by reminding her there were two sides to every story.
  I know this is being rather vague but I am bound by confidentiality on both fronts: the centre and small group. This person also has aired their grievance about what they believe had happened to my co-workers. I wasn't present and they weren't present when the event took place.
  As Christians, we are called to settle our grievances with each other as soon as possible. We are called to approach each other with grace. We are called to settle our disputes in a loving and compassionate manner.
  Forgive me, Lord, for having allowed this to continue for so long. I pray You will help me approach her according to Your timing. Grant us the space, the grace, the eyes to see and the ears to hear each other. Lord, if I need to turn the other cheek, help me do that then help me let go of any feelings of animosity towards her.
  "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." Eph 4:30-31